tours

FORGET about home away from home, welcome to Rome away from Rome.

Millions of tourists visit Italy’s capital each year to marvel at the Colosseum, queue at other attractions and squeeze into the city’s packed squares.

But you can experience a slice of Roman history without the crowds and steep prices ­— in ancient Croatian city Pula.

On the southern tip of the Istrian Peninsula — comprised largely of Croatia but also Italy and Slovenia in the north — it is also a more peaceful alternative to the country’s party city, Split, and postcard-pretty Dubrovnik.

This gem on the Adriatic coast features heaps of history and fabulous food but moves at a gentle pace — and is under three hours from the UK.

The most obvious comparison between Rome and Pula is one remarkable building.

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Standing proudly in the latter’s city centre is the Pula Arena, one of the world’s largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheatres.

Built at the same time as the Colosseum — the daddy of all amphitheatres — it has a dramatically storied past.

Until the 5th Century, it was a place where Christians, criminals and slaves were executed and gladiators fought lions and bears.

In more recent years, it has hosted concerts by the likes of Robbie Williams and Dua Lipa — and was decked out in pink for a screening of the Barbie movie when that was released in 2023.

A day tour of Pula, just one of the many trips offered by Jet2 Experiences, will allow you to discover the city’s highlights.

As well as the amphitheatre, you will visit the Roman Forum, Temple of Augustus and Old Town, and sample ale and local charcuterie at the Kampanjola Brewery, home of Istria’s only organic beer.

The Istrian Peninsula is often compared to Tuscany in Italy because of its rolling hills, vineyards and medieval hilltop villages that feel a world away from Split’s busy beaches in summer.

But it is also home to a prized traditional delicacy — truffles.

Arriving in the remote hilltop town of Buzet, we were welcomed by a guide who owned, for my money, some of the world’s smartest dogs.

From a few months old, they have been trained to associate truffles with reward, and so learn an extraordinary ability to sniff out the forest fungi.

On our truffle hunt, we followed pooch Sky through the woods.

She stopped in her tracks and within moments was clawing at a patch of ground, nose covered in mud, before unearthing a large black truffle.

These finds do not look glamorous but are worth a fortune.

Black truffles can fetch more than £400 a kilo, and their rarer white counterparts up to five times that.

Our day ended in the best possible way with a generous, three-course truffle feast, also featuring cheese, salami, sweet treats and wine.

I tucked into a plate of fresh truffles shaved over scrambled eggs, as well as truffle-honey vanilla ice cream — all of it absolutely delicious.

Nature lovers are equally well catered for while visiting Pula.

A short boat ride from the coast awaits the Brijuni National Park, an archipelago once the summer retreat of former Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito.

Down the years, the islands have also welcomed many a world leader and celebrity, as well as royalty including, in 1972, our own Queen Elizabeth II.

Today, visitors can explore Roman villas, churches and archaeological sites.

You will also meet some more surprising residents — a herd of zebras as well as Lanka, the only elephant in Croatia.

The islands are also home to one of the most ancient olive trees in the Mediterranean — estimated to be more than 1,600 years old, and still producing oil today.

Our base was the fabulous 5H Valamar Marea Suites hotel in the coastal town of Porec, 45 minutes north of Pula.

The family-friendly resort is an aquatic paradise with four outdoor pools including a stunning infinity one overlooking the sparkling Adriatic.

It also sits on the sandy Val Marea beach with water ideal for adults and children to enjoy.

The hotel’s ultra-modern, spacious suites come with their own balconies, and direct access on to the beach means you can quickly unwind after spending a day chasing dogs through the forest and snaffling truffles.

The hotel’s Maro Club is a kids’ facility offering fun tailored to different ages and featuring soft play and multimedia game rooms, as well as evening entertainment and free soft drinks and ice cream.

The hotel buffet promises a 5H experience for lunch and dinner, with a massive variety of options and unlimited ice cream to cool down after time in the sun.

One of the standout features of the hotel, though, is its location.

A scenic waterfront promenade links the hotel to Porec’s beautiful old town.

Cobbled streets are alive with ice-cream parlours and gift shops — and in one of these I picked up a bobblehead of Croatia footballing legend Luka Modric.

If you really want to push the boat out, you can even walk from the hotel to the Porec seafront — and from there take a catamaran to Venice.

But Croatia’s treasures might well mean you are happy to miss the boat — and just chill out right where you are.

I NEVER ever thought I’d be into geology – but after a week on a nature reserve in Tenerife, I’m officially an earth geek.

Admittedly, the ice-cold margaritas served inside the tranquil oasis of Barcelo Tenerife oiled my educational rediscovery of the island’s natural wonders, but now I am well and truly hooked.

My last memory of visiting Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, was marred by an over-excited, elderly sailor who threatened to throw my beloved teddy bear into the path of an approaching pod of pilot whales when I was only eight years old.

But after touching down 31 years later, I rediscovered my love for it.

The Barcelo Tenerife, my home for the trip, is set within 124 acres of almost untouched land in the San Blas Environmental Reserve — and it fully takes advantage of its rural surroundings.

It’s not just the decor that sets the tone for rustic Tenerife — guests at the resort can book a guided tour through the reserve that will showcase the best of Tenerife’s wild scenery.

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During my two-hour or so trek through the fascinating landscapes, I touched stone formed by molten lava as well as compressed volcanic ash, a type of rock that created the foundations of the island after the (still active) Mount Teide volcano erupted millions of years ago.

It was one of the best experiences I’ve had — and reminded me that this gorgeous island offers so much more than just sun-drenched beaches and cocktails by the pool.

Make sure to try and catch a look at Teide on your flight in — the mountain top peeps out above the clouds.

While it is still active, the last eruption happened in 1909 and there’s nothing to suggest it’s going to happen again in the next 100 years or so, so visitors need not panic.

When it comes to history, the mighty volcano isn’t all the island has to boast about, though.

Travellers visiting the San Blas Environmental Reserve can observe the archaeological remains of the Guanches, an indigenous community who first inhabited the islands.

Fans of The Lord Of The Rings will also recognise many of the rocky pastures as sets from the show.

It’s well worth exploring this striking landscape — if you can tear yourself away from the seven luxurious swimming pools at the hotel.

The Barcelo Tenerife manages to exude luxury without stomping on thousands of years of history — as the incredible scenery has been incorporated into the hotel’s earthy design.

The beauty of the land is seen in every inch of the hotel, from the terracotta plant pots on the terraces to its clay-coloured buildings.

Barcelo Tenerife also prides itself on its eco-friendly ethos, with sustainability built in, not tacked on — and walking through the building, you feel immersed in the natural environment.

Along with solar power energy, the hotel relies on energy-efficient lighting and ethical food supplies.

And with a 500,000-square-metre nature reserve on your doorstep, you could walk a different route every day and still feel like you have explored more of Tenerife than anyone else.

The food options include an impressive and tasty buffet for breakfast, while fine-dining restaurant La Dolce Vita Trattoria brings a taste of Italy while using superb Spanish produce.

Creamy burrata served with locally-reared beef carpaccio was a highlight, as was a tasting menu inside the Arrozante Restaurant — where I had a truly wonderful paella.

The hotel is a five-star — and worth it — but if you fancy spending a little more, upgrading to the Royal Level is worth saving your cash for.

A private pool and access to a premium bar and restaurant give you a chance to live the high life without breaking the bank too much (from just £160 per night).

Rooms have a slightly more elevated feel to them, too, with chic, sandy-toned furnishings inspired by the nature reserve and fabulous views of the ocean.

But the hotel is so well proportioned and the nature reserve so vast, I don’t think you could ever feel cramped, even during the high season.

Now is the best time to visit, too, with the weather in the UK finally taking a rather more drizzly turn, announcing the official arrival of autumn.

In Tenerife, by contrast, temperatures tend to stay balmy throughout this time of year — with highs of 26C in October perfect for both sunbathing and exploring the island — and even into winter.

My helpful hotel guide informed me that Tenerife has only had five days of rain in the last four years, so the sunshine is pretty much guaranteed.

It’s a go-to destination for winter sun and I, for one, am sold.

See you again in November, Tenerife — and this time, I’ll be bringing along my walking boots.